23 MI High School Students Receive National Merit Scholarships

EVANSTON, IL — National Merit Scholarship Corporation Monday announced more than 1,000 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities, including 23 from Michigan. These Merit Scholar winners join more than 3,100 other college-sponsored award recipients who were announced in June.

Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who will attend their institution. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

This year, 160 colleges and universities are sponsoring over 4,100 Merit Scholarship awards. Sponsor colleges include 85 private and 75 public institutions located in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

Winners from Michigan include:

• Annika L. Swanstrom, Forest Hills Central HS
• Noah M. Tyska, Forest Hills Central HS
• Henry R. Grimsby, Pioneer HS
• Kieran H. Heung, Skyline HS
• Anna K. McLeod, Seaholm HS
• Ryan Y. The, Salem HS
• David Patrascu, Walled Lake Northern HS
• Gowrani Chadalavada, Detroit Country Day School
• Diya Dani, Farmington HS
• David L. Romine, North Farmington HS
• Abraham E. Shapiro, Grand Blanc Community School
• Jay A. Carlson Grand Rapids Christian HS
• Grace E. Poortenga, Grand Rapids Christian HS
• Adrian J. Heldt, Mattawan HS
• Waris D. Khan, Novi HS
• Kevin Edward Tracz, Northville HS
• Melana Kaafarani, Rochester Adams HS
• Brighty Renli, Okemos HS
• Sohan Vittalam, Troy HS
• Cameron M. Huber, Saline HS
• Samuel R. Simon, Traverse City Central HS
• Kyle M. Roleson, Dexter HS
• Vimal Alokam, Skyline HS

A total of 16,000 students were selected as finalists for the scholarships and the final winners are candidates "judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies."